Folding stool and chair



Jan. 22, 1924.

W. E. MARSH FOLDING STOOL AND CHAIR Filed Dec. 21 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 awwemtoz h z'lia rd 5 Mans-l? Patented Jan. 22, 1924.

uurrso snares WILLARD E. MARSH, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

FOLDING STOOL AND CHAIR.

Application filed December T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, "VILLARD E. ll/IARSII, a citizen of the United States, residing at 956 South Bella Place, city of Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Impiovements in Folding Stools and Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This intention relates to foldable furniture, and more particularly relates to improvcments in folding chairs and stools.

A primary object of the invention is to produce a foldable steel or chair compri ing few parts, which stool is simple to mauu l'acture, and which is strong and durable. And it is an additional object to produce a foldable stool which may be folded up to form a light weight bundle in order that the stool be valuable as a :amping and out ng utility, and to the end that the stool is comfortable and restful, and which fills a want long felt for a dependable chair or stool inexpensive to manufacture and sell.

A foldable stool constructed in accordance with the plans of my invention makes a comfortable utility in that it conformsto the normal shape of the body and provides a comfortable back rest; and therefore, to all ends and purposes this stool fulfills a requirement of a chair yet occupying no more space than an ordinary folding stool, and being useful both for outing parties and in the house and other places.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a practical embodiment of my invention, and though a preferred form of construction and arrangement is shown, I claim a right of protectionas to any such changes in form or construction as may obviously come within the scope of my invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a front view, of the stool or chair; and Figure 2 shows aside view thereof. These t W) views show the folding camp stool or chair opened in service position.

Figure 3 illustrates the stool or chair in folded position forming an elongated small size bundle. Figure 4: shows a plan view of the stool with the upper frame extension cut away.

Figure 5 illustrates a plan detailed view of the upper end of one leg of the stool. Figure 6 illustrates a sectional view taken through one end of a leg to show in detail 21, 1921. Serial N0. 523,997.

the cord clamp or cleat which carries the seat-piece.

Referringnow more particularly to the drawings for a detailed description of the chair or stool embodied in this invention, there is shown a frame-work comprising front and rear leg parts joined together to carry a seat-piece and back rest. This frame consists of a rear pairof legs 6 pivotally joined together on a pin 7. A front pair of legs 8 are pivotally joined together on a pin 9. The frontand rear frame parts or legs are held in joined pivotal relation by another pin or bolt 10 which passes through one frame part of the front and rear legs thus forming a unitary and substantial structure which may be folded into the position shown in Figure 3.

The upper ends of both front and rear legs are bent outwardly and away from the center-line of the chair to somewhat increase the spread of the seat-piece which the frame carries. T he rear legs are similarly bent or curved forwardly just enough to simulate the contour of the back or body line of a person sitting in the chair so that'the rear legs produce, at the upper extensions there of, a comfortable back rest. The front view, Figure 1, shows how the front legs curve outwardly at the top, andthe side View shows how the rear legs curve forwardly on the upper ends thereof to follow the contour of a persons back.

I utilize in this novel foldable' stool and chair constructure, an improved seat-piece and reinforcement which is simple to apply to'the frame, thus rendering the manufacturing operations economical and which produces a very strong stool adapted to sup port a person of great weight. A substantially heavy cord 12 is given one turn around the upper ends of the two front leg pieces and the cord is similarly wrapped one turn about each rear eg piece, thus joining together the four upright frame pieces or legs; and a fabric seat-piece 13 is carried by this cord. A metal cleat or clamp 14 is placed over the two turns of cord and held in clamped position against the cords and on to the leg piece by a bolt or screw 15. The bolt 15 draws the cleat l4 tightly against the cord to bind it against the leg, and it is preferable to imbed the edges of the cleat into the body of the leg.

described.

the cord, and it 1s impossible for the double The seat-piece 13 is provided with the reinforcement straps 17 which extend diagonally across the underneath surface of the seat-piece from corner to corner, and the reinforcement straps cross each other in the center of the seat-piece. Each end of each strap 17 is made on the endthereof with a loop 18. This loop is formed by doubling the reinforcement strap back upon itself and sewing the end onto itself and to the seatpiece. One of these loops is made adjacent each leg, and is designed to carry the larger part of a persons weight.

The cord, or the rope 12 is passed through each loop18, and the cord is held in position by the cleat and screw as hereinbefore The loop 18 is held carried by turn of cord to be displaced from position because of the secure anchorage obtained in the use of the cleat or screw. The loops 18 being integral with the reinforcement strap 17, very equally distributes the load or weight between the four legs and removes a great part of the strain from the outer edge or margin of the seat-piece 13. The margin of the seat-piece 13 is made with a hem or cord pocket through which the cord 12 is passed; and in this arrangement the seat-piece is marginally supported on the cord, as well as centrally supported on the cord, through the agency of the diagonal reinforcement straps 17, and thus the fabric seat-piece 13 is adequately supported from the center as well as from the four sides thereof. It is to be noted that each corner of the fabric seat is designed to terminate short of each leg, thereby providing a construction neatand strong in appearange and simple in design'to the end that the loops 18 and the cord anchorages are left exposed so as to render convenient the assembling of the seat-piece upon the frame,

The seat-pieceis preferably constructed long on the front, and is designed to taper slightly towards the rear leg pieces; and in this construction the seat-piece has adequate supporting area without taking up undue space. Furthermore, the spread or outwardly curved design of the front legs provides a large seating area on the front margln of the stool whereby the stool is made very comfortable.

The rear leg extensions carry a back tiepiece 20 in the form of a fabric support to make a comfortable rest against which the back of a person may recline; and in this construction the piece of furniture fills the requirements of a chair without taking up much space.

The stool is simple to fold up as noted in Figure 3. The fabric seat-piece and back rest 20 fold in between the frame pieces 6 and 8 and are thereby held within the frame so that the stool, in its folded position, makes a neat compact package.

Having described the construction and use of the stool and chair comprising my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A foldable stool or chair comprising legs arranged in pairs, the legs of each pair being connected together at their center portions, a pivot pin for connecting pairs of pivoted legs at the center of the pairs of legs thereby adapting the stool or chair to be folded into an elongated package, a seat-piece carried by the legs, and a frame extension to form a back rest.

2. A folding chair or stool comprising in combination, supporting legs, a flexible. seat-piece secured to the legs, a hem made around the margin of the seat-piece, said hem being interrupted at each corner of the seat-piece and a notch made therein adapting'said seat-piece to fit up closely to the legs, loops made onto the seat-piece at the hem interruption and notch adjacent the legs, reinforcement straps integral with the loops and supporting the seatpiece, a cord concealed in the hem and exposed at the notch and being wrapped around the leg at each corner and notch of the seat-piece, and clamp plates bolted on the legs at the notch of'the seat-piece to anchor the cord to the legs.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my hand and seal this 29 day of November, 1921, in the city of Memphis, county of Shelby, State of Tennessee.

WILLARD E. MARSH. [L. s] 

